Memory of Morning (25 page)

"May it stay ended," North said. "The Framin had to withdraw the blockade of our shipping once we destroyed the pirate fleet they accused us of supporting."

"When we well know that it is the Framin that supported that pirate fleet," Captain Copper said.

"I wonder how soon it will be before the Fram can replace the ships they had among the pirates that were lost in the battle?" the Emperor said. He shrugged and answered his own question. "I suppose we'll know when the truce is broken."

"I doubt it will take more than a year," Lord North said. "They know we're working hard to replenish our own forces and firepower. A long pause in this fool war would be nice, but I doubt that will happen. I doubt there'll be peace as long as we both want the New Islands for ourselves."

"Sometimes I wish the Storm Tides had never abated," the Emperor said.

"Or that our explorers hadn't braved the ocean crossing just to see what's on the other side?" Lord North suggested.

I am not a great one for studying history, but I could follow their conversation well enough. I knew that the Framin claimed for their own all the distant islands discovered a few generations back. Their excuse was because one of their ships - a ship of exiles sent out to die in the Storm Tides - had made it to one of the New Islands, and their descendants still occupied that island when the exploration ships from Ang arrived. Because of these settlers, the Framin claimed
all
the islands as their territory, even though it was Angish explorers who had purposely made the crossing, and there were more uninhabited islands on the other side of the ocean than had yet been counted. We set up colonies, they set up colonies, though none of the other countries had yet settled in the New Islands. Everyone but us and the Fram considered colonization foolish, as the Storm Tides would eventually return with the Red Moon, cutting old and new world off from each other. The Framin and Ang went to war fighting over these territories. There were many more reasons for the ongoing conflict, but I think both countries had also gotten into the habit of being at war.

Not that I would say anything of the sort in front of the Emperor, or Lord North, or even Captain Copper. Not that one of my class says anything in front of the Emperor, unless it is in response to being directly addressed by him. So, while Emperor Marqs and Lord North conversed together, I looked attentive and felt the gazes of many watchers about the ballroom at my back.

I could almost hear the unsaid gossip:
The girl with bare shoulders being sent for by the Emperor! Well! What is that about?

"Enough speculation," the Emperor said. His gaze settled on myself and Captain Copper. "Tell me, Captain, Doctor, what part did each of you play in the battle that brought about our current state of truce? I am told the
Moonrunner
was the ship that was bait in the trap that brought the pirates down."

I waited for Captain Copper to make his answer. Then the Emperor's blue gaze concentrated on me, and I found myself smiling up at the fine-looking, very tall young man, who I realized was not yet thirty.

"I wore a civilian disguise, like everyone else, sire," I said. "Flaunting my charms, as it were."

"And a very fine flaunting it was," Lord North murmured. "This lovely paragon of womanhood and I met during the flaunting part of the morning," he added.

"But I saw little of the battle once the cannon fire started," I went on. "I left the bridge to treat wounded in the ship's surgery."

"But the battle moved down to the surgery after the
'Runner
was boarded," Captain Copper recalled.

"I was most annoyed by that," I said. "Dr. Swan and I already had quite enough to deal with."

"Dr. Cliff makes an art of understatement," Lord North said. "She was shouting profanities as she attacked a pirate with her scalpel."

Captain Copper chuckled. "He was, Dr. Cliff. And a good thing for you, Lord North took part in the fight." He looked at the Emperor when he explained, "Dr. Cliff saved my life during the fighting in the sickbay, and nearly lost her own in the process."

"I - well - I was not thinking too clearly at that moment. I vaguely recall getting in the way of a sword, then someone shoved me out of the way and--" I looked at Lord North.

"But I stopped that pirate from cutting off your arm." He glanced at the exact spot where the scar was covered by the band of silk across my upper arm. "And helped start a new fashion, as well, I think."

Chapter Thirty-Four

A rather awkward silence ensued while North and I stared at each other. There was much I wanted to say, several things I wished to do, but the public place, and Imperial protocol, prevented me from doing anything while my mind and heart raced.

He saved my life. You saved my life. You are the bane of my existence and you saved my life!

He was smiling as he held his hand out to me. I put my fingers on his, and let him lead me away. To the dais. Where the Empress Dowager sat among her courtiers as she looked out upon her ball.

When I came to an abrupt halt on the second step, the smiling Emperor said, "She is frightening, but Mother only bites fools. I do not think you are a fool, Dr. Cliff."

"I think I may be acting like one," I said.

"Adrew Osprey has a way of flustering people, that is all. Come along."

As we reached the top of the stairs, I recalled that the Dowager's name was Cesilee. Not that we would ever be on a first name basis. I recalled when she had been the sole ruler of the Ang Empire, and when she had announced she was stepping aside in favor of her son - I had even read the speech that had been circulated throughout the Empire. Of course I knew what she looked like from official portraits. I knew what I knew, which was little enough, but I was not prepared to meet this famously aloof woman in the flesh.

I came to my feet as I murmured. "Thank you, Majesty." The Emperor continued to hold my hand. Somehow, this seemed wrong in front of his mother. Yet, I could hardly shake him off, back away - and run for my life. I chose to look at the woman instead, though as meekly as I could manage and without rudely looking her in the eyes. My heart pounded so hard and fast I would have taken a listener to it and possibly prescribed a bit of foxglove serum if I had been my doctor. My throat ached with fear. Or possibly from the beginnings of a cold, a possibility I had worried about since a young patient coughed in my face two days before.

What if I gave the Dowager or the Emperor a cold? Would that be an act of treason?

"Are you the singing Cliff girl, or the medical one?" the Dowager asked me.

The clouds of panic were swept away from me by her question. Why would this woman know anything about the Cliffs at all? Did we all need to be vetted by this high an authority before Uncle Eadum received his knighthood?

"I am the medical Cliff, ma'am," I said. "One of them. My brother, Tennit, being the other in this generation." I used my calm doctor voice. Thank the All I had practice in at least appearing under control.

"You have served the Empire well, Dr. Cliff," she said. "Perhaps you will be called upon to serve again soon."

With that she held up her hand. I bent to kiss a very large emerald ring on her hand. By this time the Emperor had stopped holding mine. She gestured me off. I curtsied again. I was surprised that the Emperor came with me when I backed away, with his hand on my elbow this time to ensure I didn't fall down the steps.

Instead of letting me go when all this was accomplished, he led me to the dance floor. The orchestra was about two-thirds of the way through playing a popular waltz. The Emperor put his arm around my waist and whirled me into the dance.

"Please don't mind my taking this liberty without asking," he said as we twirled around. "I had an urge to find out what a surgeon feels like in my arms." After a few more turns around the dance floor, he added, "I believe dancing with you is far superior to dancing with Dr. Fox."

At the next turning I briefly caught sight of my parents standing at the edge of the crowd, watching us, wide-eyed. I flashed a quick smile to them as we moved on.

When the dance ended the Emperor led me off the floor, and over to where Captain Copper and Lord North were still standing. Seeli had joined them, and had her arm through Captain Copper's. She bowed to the Emperor, and Captain Copper bowed, then they headed off to share the next dance.

"Perhaps our beloved ruler was merely trying to show a sailor a good time." He gestured toward the pairs gathering on the floor. The music began once more. "Come along, Paragon. It is time you and I took a turn at the dance."

I put my hand on his waist. "I agree, Admiral. It is time for us to dance."

Being held by Lord North brought back the memory of our embrace on board the
Moonrunner
with such intensity that I stumbled forward the moment we began the steps of the waltz. Why did it have to be another waltz?

He steadied me, but pulled me closer than the proper position the steps required.

"No," I said. Though perhaps not as quickly as I should have.

It took us a few moments to rearrange ourselves to avoid comments about our scandalous position. I was already going to have quite enough gossip swirling around me from the waltz I had shared with the Emperor, thank you very much.

"Copper would be one of them, I gather. And my ridiculous young cousin." To my nod, he said, "You are well rid of both of them."

I did not enquire further. Though I did wonder what great noblewomen might be looking upon our being together during so much time at the ball with a certain proprietary annoyance. Perhaps he was attempting to arouse jealousy in some teasing woman's heart.

"How is your son?" I asked. I hoped this was a properly polite question to ask a nobleman of North's rank. "And his mother, Lady Harrier?"

"Both are back home, and doing quite well. Lady Harrier takes great pleasure in the regency of the northern lands while I am away, and I take some pleasure in being away. Did you enjoy the cultural exhibit she hosted?"

"I did."

"It is a good way of reminding the people of Ang that the north has a culture and history of its own. Not that I am sure that the people of Ang understand that our exhibit is done to make a point."

Had he kissed Lady Harrier in front of me that day under the palm trees to make a point? At the time I had thought so, but had since decided he had not known, and certainly not cared, that I was there.